Lilac
by Yankoku
Summary: Upon discovery that Sota is the reincarnation of Kohaku, Sota comes to join the gang because of Sango's hopes that he can restore her brother. But when Sota enters the feudal era, his soul slips away from him...when Kohaku is restored. UPDATED
1. Chosen

"Yes, I swear, not a day longer!" Kagome said exasperatedly. Inuyasha nodded, crossing his arms. Kagome took Sango's hand, and they made the chimerical descent - or rather, ascent, speaking in terms of time periods - through the bone-eater's well. Sango had refused to believe the well was entirely safe, and that Kagome's miko qualities were the only thing that kept the girl from harm on her journeys through the well. Sango was, therefore, fully dressed in her battle gear, mask and weapons included. They landed with a slight thump on the other side of the well. Kagome stood up and dusted away dirt. "I told you there was nothing to worry about," Kagome said with a half-smile, extending a hand to help Sango up.  
  
"Suppose so," she said uncertainly, taking Kagome's hand and allowing herself to be pulled to her feet.  
  
Kagome laughed lightly and began climbing the ladder out of the well. Sango, not wanting to be in it any longer than she had to, started climbing when Kagome was only a quarter of the way up the ladder. From above her, she heard mewing. Sango's thoughts first flew to Kirara, but she mentally chided herself - that was impossible. And hadn't Kagome mentioned having a cat?  
  
Sango reached the top of the well and hoisted herself out after Kagome, who was standing next to a boy holding a fat, softly purring neko, and creating a sweet, idyllic picture. Sango smiled sadly. Ah, bittersweet memories. She thought of Kirara perched on Kohaku's knees back in their village days. Kagome was awfully lucky.  
  
Kagome cleared her throat, jolting Sango from her thoughts. "This is my younger brother, Sota. And our cat, Buyo. Sota, this is Sango. She'll be staying with us for a few days."  
  
'Why' was the first word out of Sota's mouth. Kagome exchanged a glance with Sango, a finger to her lips. Sango nodded in recognition. Sango had honestly wanted a well-deserved break from Miroku's antics, but this was not for a small, easily influenced boy to hear.  
  
"Just because. Don't you want her to stay?" Kagome challenged, knowing that her brother valued politeness. The ruse worked well, and Sota stuttered, "No - I-I mean yes, I do want her to stay. I was just wondering."  
  
"Well, don't," said Kagome said sternly. "Come on inside, Sango. Let's properly wash those kimonos you brought.  
  
Sango wondered what Kagome meant by 'properly' washing them, but merely nodded and followed the girl. Sota trotted close behind, Buyo still cradled in his arms.  
  
_________________________________________________  
  
Sota admired the kusarikama at Sango's waist, obviously resisting the urge to reach over and finger it. It was shining in the fluorescent light that came from above their kitchen table. Kagome was still in the washroom, consulting her mother on the fine art of washing clothes. Sango noticed his gaze, and gave a little half-smile. "Do you want to hold it?"  
  
Sota's eyes lit up, and he nodded, unable to speak. Sango pulled it out of her belt slowly, not the quick, guarded way she would in battle. She lightly placed it in Sota's hands, careful that the blade didn't scratch him.  
  
Sango smiled down at the boy. He looked exactly like Kohaku had when he'd gotten his own kusarikama, the powerful scythe on a chain.  
  
Sota traced his fingers along the flat of the blade. "It's beautiful," he breathed, and Sango was immensely glad she'd cleaned all of the old blood off of it. She even felt a little prouder to own it. Sota looked up at her in awe. "Do you really fight with this?"  
  
Sango nodded, suppressing a huge grin and being content with a small smile.  
  
__________________________________________  
  
Sota felt a warm tingling in his fingers. What a nice feeling for this weapon. So new, yet so familiar. It almost seemed to jump out of his hands, screaming to be thrown. Sota didn't want to let the feeling go. He wanted to use it.  
  
"Sango, I know you're Kagome's company, but while you're visiting, when you have free time, like - like now - d'you think you could teach me how to fight with it?" he blurted.  
  
He crossed the fingers of one hand beneath the blade. {Please say yes, please, please say yes.}  
  
"All right, I guess so," said Sango, looking a little sad and misty-eyed. Sota hoped he hadn't hurt Sango's feelings - but how could asking for lessons do that? Perhaps Sango was thinking of something else entirely.  
  
"Promise?" asked Sota, a little warily. "I promise," replied Sango with a little laugh that his question had managed to draw from her.  
  
"Let's go in your backyard. We need an open space," Sango said, standing and walking to the back door, then watching a little nervously as the kusarikama-wielding Sota did the same. Sota realized why as her hand moved nervously below her waist, ready to catch him if he fell. Sango was obviously concerned that he would trip and have the weapon plunge neatly through his stomach.  
  
They walked out into the dewy backyard, Sota grinning like a maniac. This would be great.  
  
Sango set up a pile of firewood from the supply in the Higurashis' storage shed in an almost pyramid-like style on an old tree stump. "All right, Sota. I'll show you how it's done first, and you must pay very close attention." Sota nodded obediently and handed the kusarikama to Sango.  
  
Sango stood, Sota noted, with her left foot in front of her right, and the girl's torso was turned ever-so-slightly sideways. She held the handle of the scythe, letting the chain go to her other hand, then hang to the ground. Sango glanced to be sure Sota was watching her actions, then bent her elbow. She arched her wrist towards her chest, and then in one fluid motion, straightened her arm out to the side, letting the kusarikama go in the middle of the swift act.  
  
The chain ran smoothly through a loose fist, and when the scythe reached the log Sango was aiming for, she grabbed the chain, allowing it to go no further. This was obviously done at the perfect time, because the scythe ricocheted off the log, knocking it off of the woodpile and hitting it hard enough for the blade to come spinning back to Sango, helped by a hard backwards jerk to the chain.  
  
She dropped the chain from that hand and kept it only in the other, and she caught the kusarikama's handle, the force pushing it slightly back over her shoulder.  
  
Sota stared, open-mouthed. Could he ever really do it? Sango turned solemnly to him and held out the kusarikama. Sota took it gently, and Sango moved from her place to let Sota stand in it. He placed his feet as Sango had, and moved his arm into the proper position.  
  
And he saw and felt nothing but pure power, swift silver lightning, as he slung the kusarikama free. 


	2. Tough Enough

The kusarikama whistled straight and true through the air to the woodpile. A split second later, it made contact with the highest piece of wood. The wood fell to the ground, but the kusarikama did it one better and drove right into the dirt next to it.  
  
Sota frowned, his mouth slightly open like he was going to say something. Why hadn't it worked? He'd done everything right. Throw it, let the chain run, hit the log, stop it - Wait. Stop it? He'd forgotten to catch the chain.  
  
Sota smacked himself on the forehead with the flat of his palm and groaned. {I am so STUPID! Sango's going to think I'm a complete IDIOT!}  
  
He turned to Sango, giving her a classic, 'I'm a helpless little modern boy, how could I know?' look. Sango was running her tongue along her bottom lip, seeming a bit unsure of what to say.  
  
"Uh...don't worry, Sota. Just try again. It was a simple mistake. Just remember to catch the chain directly after the blade makes contact." Sota nodded and ran after the kusarikama, humiliation still burning in his gut. He pulled the top of the blade out of the soft ground, and was ashamed to know he'd gotten dirt and grass on it. He brushed the worst of it off, then cleaned the rest off on his shirt. No doubt Mrs. Higurashi would have a lecture for him when she saw the brown streak.  
  
Sota wrapped the chain around one hand and walked, face still flushed, back to Sango. " It's not broken or anything," he said quietly. "Well, I didn't expect it would be," replied Sango, opposing the urge to laugh. Broken? As though a bit of rain-softened ground would even scratch the kusarikama.  
  
"It'll take a bit more than that for it to break," she said gently.  
  
"Oh. Oh, all right," said Sota, looking immensely relieved. He unwound the chain around his fist and stood in the stance Sango had shown him once again. {Arch, swing, let go, straighten out, and CATCH THE CHAIN. I can do this.} He followed the mental pattern, and the blade made direct contact with the piece of firewood, once third down, that was now on top.  
  
He snapped his loose fit shut with just inches of chain left to hang slack behind his fist. The portion of chain in front of his fist snapped taut, and Sota barely had time to register that the blade was coming back before it was there.  
  
"Sota!" Sango scolded. "You should never try to catch it by the blade, -always- the handle. You're lucky it didn't go back far enough to cut into your hand."  
  
Sota gritted his teeth. "Sango, I have to go upstairs. I have to use the bathroom. Yeah," he said, and took off, pretending not to hear Sango's calls to give her the kusarikama first, and trying not to let her see the rivulets of blood that were trickling through his fingers.  
  
"Ohh," Sota moaned as the cold water gurgled over his palm. The water, turned a pale shade of pink with his blood, swirled slowly down the drain. There was no way anyone could know about this - Kagome, Sango and his mother would all probably have a little meeting and decide to never let him hold so much as a butter knife ever again.  
  
Sota opened the medicine cabinet with his left hand, right hand still held stiffly under the faucet. He pulled out some old athletic wrap of Kagome's and a wad of cotton balls, and set everything on the counter. Pulling a black hand towel from a rack close to the sink, he turned off the water and pressed the towel close to his palm to stem the flow of blood.  
  
Quickly, he pulled it away and set three cotton balls in his palm in the shape of a triangle, which was the shape of the wound. Sota wound a strip of athletic wrap around it, his untrained left hand fumbling around the ends. The strip came to an end on the back of his hand when he could wind it no more, and Sota tucked the end under a fold, brought it back through, and tied a knot around it.  
  
Crude, but it would suffice. Now all he had to do was make sure Kagome, Sango, and his mother never saw it. 


	3. Shikon Answers

Quickly wiping all the blood off of Sango's kusarikama, Sota threw the hand towel in the hamper and trudged back downstairs. He carried the weapon in his left hand, keeping his right behind his back. Sango was already sitting back down at the table waiting for him.  
  
"Ready for another go?" she said brightly.  
  
"Actually, I'm a little tired. I think I'm going to go to bed." Sota laid Kusarikama on the table.  
  
"Sota, why are you holding a hand behind your back?" Sango raised an eyebrow at him. Sota gulped. She was a bit more observant than Kagome. "Oh, I always do this. It's just a habit." Sota turned away from her, putting his hand in front of him as he did, hoping Sango didn't notice the exchange. Sota began walking forward, but was suddenly halted by his collar being pulled against his throat. Sango had the back of his shirt.  
  
She grabbed his shoulder, turned him around, and grabbed his wrist. "Sota, really! Why didn't you tell me?"  
  
Sota looked away at his feet, eyes filling up with tears. His hand still hurt, the jerking around had made it hurt worse, and he was being scolded by an almost-stranger. Filled with self-pity, he shuffled his feet and mumbled, "I dunno...I'm...sorry. I'm sorry!"  
  
Sango let go of his wrist, startled. "I didn't mean to upset you, Sota. I was just concerned. You should have told me, and we could have gotten your village miko to take care of it."  
  
Sota looked at Sango as though she'd lost her mind, and blinked away the tears. "Our village miko? Tokyo's too big to be a village. And we don't have mikos anymore. We have doctors."  
  
"Oh...right. Well, Kagome could have taken care of it."  
  
"Kagome? What would she know about it?"  
  
Sango smiled. "She is one, after all. Or well on her way. She's the reincarnation of a very good one."  
  
"Wow," said Sota, looking a bit awed. "Really? I thought-"  
  
But Sango never heard what he thought of Kagome, for just then the said miko entered the room with a bright, oblivious smile, and said, "Mom helped me treat the stains on your kimonos. They're in the wash right now!"  
  
"Gee, wonder of wonders," muttered Sota. Sango noticed his hand was behind his back again. Before Kagome could give a sharp reply to Sota, Sango said softly, "You'll have to tell her sometime, Sota. Why not now?"  
  
Sota twisted his mouth off to the side a moment, then sighed in defeat. "Kagome, Sango was teaching me how to use her kusarikama, and I hurt myself." He held out his bandaged hand, and Kagome gasped. "Oh, Sota! Did it hurt? Wait, of course it did. How much did it bleed? Does it still hurt? Are you all right?"  
  
Sango and Sota exchanged knowing looks after Kagome's string of apprehensive questions. Sota took a deep breath, and said, "It bled kinda hard. It does still hurt."  
  
Kagome walked around the table. "Well, it looks like you were pretty smart about taking care of it," she said, examining the bandage. "Go upstairs and go to sleep. Get your strength back."  
  
"Say what? Why would I need to sleep because of a hurt hand?!?!"  
  
"DO IT, SOTA, OR I'LL TELL MOM!" Kagome snapped, breathing hard. Sota took a step back, putting his hands up defensively. "Okay, okay. Fine. I'm going to bed."  
  
"Good," Kagome said, now smiling sweetly. "Tell you what, how about tomorrow we get out your little inflatable wading pool? It's really warming up outside, and I'm sure Sango'd like it." Sota shrugged. "Okay. Good night, -Sango-. Or rather," he added, glowering at Kagome, "good afternoon."  
  
_____________________________________________________________________  
  
||| The Next Day, around 1:00 |||  
  
"Alrighty, it's full!" Kagome called cheerfully to Sota and Sango, who were sitting on the porch. Sota was in swimming trunks, but Sango had refused point-blank to wear a swimsuit and was wearing elastic-waisted shorts and an old T-shirt.  
  
Sota ran to the small, rectangular wading pool and Sango followed, a bit more self-consciously. Sota stepped into the pool and laid down on his stomach, taking up a fourth of it. Kagome rolled her eyes and sat down next to his feet. Sango slipped in beside Kagome. The water only came up to the two girls' waists, but it was peaceful out nonetheless.  
  
Kagome watched the sunlight play out on the inch-thick layer of water on Sota's back and put her hand on his foot, about to tickle him. Then Sota shifted his shoulder blade and the light in the water intensified without warning. "Augh!" exclaimed Kagome, covering her eyes. She turned towards Sango and uncovered them, and colored blots claimed most of her line of vision. Sango said concernedly, "Kagome, are you all right?"  
  
Sota had flipped over to stare at her, supporting himself with his uninjured hand. "Don't worry, Sango. She's just kooky, that's all."  
  
Kagome frowned down at him. "The sun sure is bright in this water..." She trailed off, then looked from Sota to Sango, back to Sota, then to Sango, and finally back to Sota again.  
  
"Neck finally come unscrewed, sis?" Sota asked playfully.  
  
"No," said Kagome with a snort. She crawled on her hands and knees down by Sota's head. "Turn back over."  
  
"Why?" said Sota suspiciously. "Just do it," said Kagome. Sota shook his head stubbornly. Kagome looked helplessly at Sango. {This is so -embarrassing-} she thought. But Sango just winked at Kagome and said, "Please, Sota. Do it for me?"  
  
Sota blushed. "Well...all right. Since you're so much -nicer- than Kagome." He turned over on his back, and Kagome held her hand up to make a shadow on the place that had glinted earlier. She didn't want to feel like she'd just had a flashbulb in her face again.  
  
Kagome pushed on Sota's shoulder to make his currently drawn-in shoulder blade move. "Hey!" gurgled Sota, the portion of his face with his mouth on it underwater. "What're you doing?"  
  
But Kagome didn't answer. She was too busy staring at the bluish-purple glow that only she could see.  
  
With no warning, she pulled her hands off of Sota like she'd been burned. "Sango, come with me!" Kagome stepped out of the pool and ran inside the house, stopping by the back door's frame. Sango followed suit, and stood next to Kagome, arms crossed and shivering. "W-what is it?"  
  
"Sango, I...I think I saw a fragment of the Shikon in him!"  
  
Sango laughed. "Are you joking? If he had a jewel shard in him, he'd be incredibly strong. There's no way."  
  
Kagome tapped her bare foot impatiently. "It's not big enough to make him amazingly stronger. I think it's very small - like a fragment of the fragment. A jewel shard we meant to get out in the feudal era, but we didn't get the whole thing. I had to be touching Sota to even be able to see it."  
  
Sango bit her lip. "But Sota's not a demon, so he can't be the reincarnation of one. He'd have to be the reincarnation of a human, like..." her voice trailed off. "Like..."  
  
Kagome and Sango finished the sentence at the same time, each saying the word softly and even reverently.  
  
"Kohaku." 


	4. A Slayer Reborn?

"Sota?" Kagome called out into the back yard. "Will you come back in and dry off? Go ahead and put your regular clothes on, too. We need to talk to you, and it's very important."  
  
Sota decided not to protest. When Kagome said something was important, she never meant going to the mall to buy makeup or calling a boy. His sister had different priorities, especially since she'd started visiting the feudal era.  
  
________________________________________________________________________  
  
Sango nervously played with a pillow on the living room couch. She and Kagome were already dressed, and she could hear Sota upstairs dressing now.  
  
"Kagome, how are we going to tell him?"  
  
Kagome smiled. "I'm more concerned about you right now, Sango. I'm very sure he's Kohaku's reincarnation - the fragment is in the exact same place, and Sota even resembles Kohaku. Are you going to be able to deal with this?"  
  
Sango licked her lips nervously. "Actually, Kagome, I have an idea. Do you think Sota could help restore Kohaku?"  
  
Kagome looked sorrowfully at Sango, obviously thinking she was in complete denial. "Oh, Sango, I...I just..." Kagome faltered. How could she possibly crush the dreams of the hopeful girl in front of her, who looked just like a child right now? Kagome tried again. "Sango, I'm not trying to-"  
  
Just then, Sota bounded in and plopped into an armchair. "Okay, here I am! What?"  
  
Kagome took a deep breath and began, "Sota, I know I've never really discussed my adventures in the feudal era with you. You know the basics. But I'm going to have to go into detail here, and tell you some things about Sango's family you need to know."  
  
Sota nodded, and Kagome began her tale. She told him everything she knew about the Shikon no Tama and its powers. She also told him, using very choice words in Sango's presence, about Kohaku.  
  
Sota looked a bit taken aback to find out about Sango's past. "I'm really sorry, Sango," he whispered quietly. "Don't be," said Sango, barely audible.  
  
"Kagome, I'm happy you're sharing this with me and all, but...why are you sharing it with me, exactly?"  
  
Kagome shot a nervous glance at Sango. "We have reason to believe..." Kagome shook her head. Why was she speaking like a juror?  
  
"It's like this, Sota. We think you're Kohaku's reincarnation."  
  
Sota blinked at Kagome. "Why?"  
  
"You - you have a fragment of the Shikon in your back. In the same place he did. It's not as big, but it's there."  
  
Sota wasted no time with reverent silence. "How come I can't feel it?"  
  
"Oh, pull out a science book if you want to know that. Any real questions?" Kagome said exasperatedly.  
  
"Does this mean I get to go to the warring states era with you?"  
  
Sango's face brightened. This was exactly what she wanted to hear.  
  
Kagome bristled. "Absolutely n-"  
  
Sango's face fell, and Kagome froze. "Two days. I'll take you for two days, one night, and we'll see what happens." Sota grinned in his irresistibly cute way. "Ah, thank you, Kagome!"  
  
Kagome sighed. "You're welcome. Go pack. Nothing stupid!" Sota nodded and flew out of the room. But Sango brought up a very realistic problem, giving Kagome no time to confront her about how, exactly, she planned to have Sota restore Kohaku.  
  
"Kagome, how will we explain Sota's absence to your mother? I do not think she'll want him to visit feudal Japan with you. Sota is just a little boy," Sango said. Kagome flopped back down on the couch-she'd been pacing. After a moment of thought, it came to her, and she picked up the portable telephone from a stand next to the couch. Kagome punched in a number, and Sango watched with interest. Kagome had explained telephones before, and they were quite interesting.  
  
"Hi, Mrs. Toshihiro! Is Yoshiko home?"  
  
"Why, hello, Kagome! I'll go get her."  
  
A moment of silence, and then-  
  
"Hello?"  
  
"Hey, Yo Chan! I need to ask you a favor."  
  
"Oh, Kagome! How's that rash coming along?"  
  
"What? Oh! -Augh-! It's fine, Yo Chan. Listen about that favor. I need to take Sota somewhere. I'm going to tell my mother he's staying the night with Mateo - will you cover for me if she calls?"  
  
"Sure, but Mateo is a bit of an idiot. He might screw up."  
  
"Just do the best you can, Yoshiko. Thanks again!"  
  
"Wait, Kagome! Where are you taking So-"  
  
~Click. ~  
  
Kagome smiled at Sango. "It's all taken care of. We'll leave tomorrow." ________________________________________________________________________ 


	5. Fukai, Fukai Mori

Kagome dragged sleepily down the stairs the next morning and headed towards the kitchen. She coughed and sputtered as she entered it. It was stiflingly hot...Wait, was the kitchen on fire? Kagome squinted through the heat waves to the stove. All four burners were going full blast, and Sota was looking positively delirious with happiness as he held a dismantled coat hanger, adorned with marshmallows, over them. "Sota!" Kagome cried as she turned off the burners. "What in the world do you think you're doing?"  
  
"I'm practicing cooking over an open fire!" Sota replied brightly. "Pretty smart to think of doing it over the stove instead of outside, eh? It rained last night, you know. Everything's soppy."  
  
Kagome closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "Sota. PLEASE. Just get out of your pajamas and into some regular clothes. Not your school uniform, though. You'll get it dirty." Sota frowned up at Kagome. "That's fine-I hate my school uniform. But if I can't wear mine, how come you always get to wear yours?" "Hmph! -I- know how to keep something clean. You'll be off playing in the dirt and doing...Oh I don't know, little boy things. You'll get on well with Shippo."  
  
"Who's Shippo?"  
  
"Little kitsune-youkai. Go get dressed." ________________________________________________________________________  
  
Kagome, Sango, and Sota squished across the wet ground to the shrine. Sota was carrying an old backpack that he'd stuffed two mangas and a few other odds and ends into. Kagome considered the majority of it junk, Sota knew, but there was no way he was going to be persuaded to leave what he wanted behind.  
  
"All right," said Kagome as the trio reached the well. "Everyone ready?" Sota and Sango nodded, and both of them grabbed one of Kagome's hands. Sota stared nervously into the well and clung tight to Kagome. "You're absolutely sure this is safe?"  
  
"Yes! Here we go, now. One, two, -three-!" And the group jumped into the well.  
  
/ Floating / thought Sota as soft, blue-purple light touched them. / I'm floating. / He recalled the sensation from when Inuyasha has been coming through and they'd dealt with the ghost of Saturo's sister. The feeling ended too soon, and Sota knew they were on the other side of the well.  
  
Kagome ushered Sango out first, then Sota, then she crawled out.  
  
Sota grinned excitedly. "So where are we-" he began, but was cut off. His back was jerking in the direction of the woods left of the direction of the village.  
  
Kagome's eyes widened. "Sota? SOTA! Are you having a seizure? Sota, what's wrong?"  
  
But Sota could not answer. His back jerked two times more, three times, four times, then he went flying backwards across the ground and into the woods. Kagome put her hands to her mouth and began running after him. Sango asked no questions, but dropped her things and followed. The two finally reached the woods, but there was no sign of Sota. He was simply... -gone-.  
  
"It's no use just us two going in, Kagome," Sango said to the heavily breathing girl beside her. "Let's go get Inuyasha and Miroku. And we may need to talk to Lady Kaede. I think I have an idea what is wrong."  
  
Sango began to explain, but Kagome took off running again, worry and compassion flowing freely over her face. The only thing on her mind was the possibility that Sota was about to die.  
  
/ Inuyasha / Kagome thought urgently. / Please be there. /  
  
________________________________________________________________________ 


	6. He's Got Sota In His Hands

Kagome burst unceremoniously into Kaede's hut, where Inuyasha was innocently sitting with noodles hanging out of his mouth. "Kgrmphy?" he frowned up at her, saying the best version of her name he could with a mouthful of noodles.  
  
Kaede looked curiously up at her. "Lady Kagome? I had thought that ye would not return for three nights more."  
  
Kagome was a bit too broken up to say much of anything, so Sango quickly explained the theory that Sota was Kohaku's reincarnate and what had happened when they left the well. After this, Sango said breathlessly, "I feel that Sota is being guided by the Shikon no Tama straight to Kohaku. The piece he has in his back already exists in this era. The force he was pulled by must be its counterpart in Kohaku. Too much of the Shikon is now in this time."  
  
Kaede nodded. "That may very well be what has happened."  
  
A flood of tears burst from Kagome. "Then what are we waiting for? Kohaku may be near Naraku. Who knows what he will do to my brother? Or what the Shikon no Tama will do? We have to leave right now!"  
  
Inuyasha stood up, upsetting a bowl of noodles without care. "Let's go, Kagome! I don't know where Miroku is, so he's out of this one for now." Kagome abandoned her things in Kaede's hut, and Sango left all but her weapons and variety of deleterious powders. They both hitched a ride on Inuyasha's back and he ran swiftly into the forest. "Your brother smells kind of like you, Kagome - except not so...flowery. I think I can follow his scent." Kagome said nothing, only buried her face in Inuyasha's silvery hair and held on tightly.  
  
Deep into the forest, Inuyasha stopped short. "The scent ends here," he said, and the two women slid off of his back. Kagome stepped tentatively forward. "Sota?" she called nervously. Then louder, "Sota! Where are you?"  
  
A young boy dressed in slayer regalia and a poison-guarding mask suddenly slipped out from behind a tree. He was cradling a boy even younger than himself baby-doll style in his arms. A sheathed katana was at his side, and Sango froze, still out the boy's line of vision behind Inuyasha.  
  
"Miko," said the boy to Kagome, voice unnaturally heavy beneath the mask, "is this the one you search for?"  
  
Kagome pressed her lips together and ran forward to him. The boy laid the one he had been carrying on the ground. It was, indeed, Sota. Kagome knelt by him. Suddenly, she put a hand to her mouth. Sota's eyes were wide open, but the usually deep, happy brown did not hold its usual spark of happiness. Sota's eyes were dull, lifeless, almost...soulless.  
  
Kagome stood up, on the verge of tears. "Are you..."  
  
The boy untied his mask, and Kagome took a bold step around Sota. She grabbed a fistful of his collar, too angry to consider that he was armed to the teeth with lethal weapons. "Kohaku, what have you done to my brother? What did you do, you heartless killer?!" _____________________________________________________________________ 


	7. Homecoming

Kohaku looked up at Kagome. "I...but...but I didn't!"  
  
Inuyasha stepped in, unsheathing Tetsusaiga. "All right, Kohaku, let go of her!" "What?" said Kohaku. "She's - holding onto me."  
  
Kagome released her death grip on Kohaku's collar, and he stepped backwards. Inuyasha quickly pulled Kagome away from Kohaku and pointed Tetsusaiga's tip at him. "You...fix him!" Inuyasha said.  
  
"I can't - I don't know what happened!" said Kohaku.  
  
"I'm SURE! You may think you're something, but being Naraku's plaything doesn't make you invincible! You bleed like a mortal, Kohaku," Inuyasha said testily.  
  
That was when Kohaku said something that made Sango's jaw drop. "Who's Naraku?"  
  
________________________________________________________________________  
  
"I only remember something hitting me in the back, and a glow, then...I just don't know," said Kohaku, looking slightly fearfully at Inuyasha. They were sitting in Kaede's hut, Inuyasha still with his sword out, Sango looking wary, and Kagome cradling Sota and crying silently.  
  
"It is no fault of yours, little Kohaku," said Kaede. "Your sister was correct - the Shikon no Tama fragment was reacting to its counterpart." She ladled beef stew into a bowl and handed it to Kohaku with a pair of chopsticks.  
  
"Sango," said Kohaku, turning to her. "You never told me who Naraku was. And why wasn't I in the village when all this happened? Why aren't you in the village? Won't Father be worried?"  
  
"Kohaku," Sango breathed. "You...you don't...remember what happened?"  
  
"The only thing I don't know is who Naraku is. Is he an overlord?" Kohaku looked innocently at Sango.  
  
"Good gods, you really don't know what happened..." Sango stared, dumbfounded, at Kohaku.  
  
Inuyasha stood up. "Oh, give me a break! It's obvious this is Naraku's idea of a joke, or just another scheme to get our Shikon fragments!"  
  
Sango stood up, too. "Stop it, Inuyasha. He says he doesn't remember and I believe him!" "You've gotta be kidding me," said Inuyasha. "How could he possibly not remember?"  
  
"It seems," Kaede interrupted, "Kohaku's soul no longer wanders in darkness." The priestess looked solemnly at him. "Welcome home." 


	8. Surprise

"Okay. Ready?"  
  
"Yeah, completely ready. Mm-hm."  
  
"On the count of three. One...two..."  
  
And that was when Shippo jumped out of the bushes, the rabbit scurrying away. Kohaku smacked himself on the forehead. "I said three, Shippo! Go on three, not two!"  
  
"I was...doing a surprise attack!" Shippo defended himself. "It already ~was~ a surprise attack!" said Kohaku exasperatedly. "Yeah, but I surprised you, too! That makes it a ~double~ surprise attack! Twice as good," declared Shippo.  
  
"The rabbit got away."  
  
"Well, that's the downside."  
  
Kohaku sighed. "C'mon, Shippo. Let's just go back." The duo traced their way back through the woods, to the edge where they'd planned to meet Sango, Kagome, and Inuyasha for lunch. Miroku was still mysteriously unavailable, but everyone except Kohaku had a good idea of what, exactly, was keeping him.  
  
Kohaku flopped dejectedly down on to the blanket that their lunch was spread out on, avoiding looking at Kagome. She'd seen that rabbit earlier, and Kohaku heard her fawning over how cute and adorable it was. Kohaku wanted to catch it for her, and had, quite mistakenly, invited Shippo. Kohaku had been under the terribly wrong impression that something so small could be quiet as well as quick.  
  
Two days had passed since he'd found Sota in the forest. And still, everyone refused to tell him who Naraku was and why he and Sango were not at their village. Kagome and Sango were constantly whispering, pointing at Kohaku's back, and so on and so forth. After being greeted by a hug from Sango, Kohaku settled down to eating his rice.  
  
Halfway through eating his rice, Kohaku noticed a flea making itself comfortable on his arm. He glared down at it, then lifted his hand to slap it. Suddenly, it jumped to his shoulder. "Don't be hasty, now," it said with a bow. "I am Myouga, loyal servant to Inuyasha. I am supposing that you are curious as to who this Naraku is that everyone speaks of, and what that little boy has to do with you," Myouga said, gesturing one of his tiny appendages towards Sota.  
  
"Yes, do you know?" Kohaku whispered down to Myouga. "Certainly, and I can tell you - for a price." "What price would that be?" said Kohaku. "Your protection, my good boy," said Myouga. "I am but a humble insect. Sometimes I cannot defend myself, due to no fault of mine. So - would you like to know?"  
  
Kohaku, after some mental debate, announced that he would think about it, and turned the thought over and over in his mind as he finished his rice and Myouga scurried away...  
  
____________________________________________________________________  
  
Later that afternoon, Kohaku walked thoughtfully by Kaede's hut, Kirara on his shoulder. Impetuously, he slowed as he heard soft sounds of crying coming from within.  
  
Kohaku carefully stepped onto the back porch and poke his head through the doorframe. It was Kagome, staring at Sota's body. /That's ~it~!/ thought Kohaku furiously. /This is my fault somehow! I have to talk to Myouga and fix it./ Kohaku, a dark expression on his face, backed off of the porch. When he was some distance away, he called, "Myouga! Myouga, where are you? I decided!"  
  
Suddenly, Kirara's fur parted, and Myouga hopped off of the fire cat's back. "At your service!" "Myouga, I want you to tell me everything you know about me, Sota, and Naraku, and...well...anything else I want to know!"  
  
"Understandable, my boy. Do you recall ~your~ end of the bargain?" Myouga queried. "Of course I do!" said Kohaku impatiently. "Please...just ~tell~ me."  
  
Myouga nodded, and began. The story was long, and it started with Kohaku slaying his teammates at the young lord's castle. Myouga went on with everything from when Kohaku tried to kill himself to when Sango stole Tetsusaiga. After talking out everything that concerned Kohaku and Naraku together, Myouga told about Kagome and Sango's theories of reincarnation.  
  
Kohaku was steel-faced by the end. "And that's...that's everything?" he asked, his small voice threatening to break.  
  
"It is for now," replied Myouga. "Now remember who you're to protect during times of danger!" With that, the cowardly flea hopped away.  
  
Kohaku sat down hard on the ground. /Everything...it's all my fault. But I'll find a way. I'll find away to restore Sota, no matter how much it costs. Because I deserve death, and Sota - deserves life!/  
  
________________________________________________________________________ 


	9. NA

Sorry, sorry, sorry! Something went completely screwed with the last chapter. If you read Chapter Eight before noon on September 20, 2003, go back. Read it again. That was completely messed up. Huge thank-you to Kalira of the flames for pointing this idiotic mistake out. The chapter got cut up somehow. If anyone thinks I've made a mistake, please point it out ASAP! Once again, I'm very sorry.  
  
- Shippo 


	10. River Fish

I know this took awhile...I was having a...mental revolution, if you will. And it did concern this story. No worries, mon!  
  
_______________________________________________________________  
  
Kohaku lay awake for the better part of the night. Somehow, no fatigue came. There was only the sick guilt he could barely handle. It was becoming almost like a physical pain, with little bouts of white light. Kohaku shut his eyes hard and opened them again. The light was moving. He suddenly gathered that it was moving along the side of the hut.  
  
The door-flap was moved slightly to the side by a small, quiet hand. A white-haired, blank-eyed girl with a cracked mirror peered through the gap. Pale flowers fluttered in her hair. A memory was tugging at Kohaku. He'd seen her...somewhere. A name - K- Ka -  
  
"Come." She turned, and Kohaku instantaneously stood up. He picked up his kusarikama, threading it through the back of his waist tie as he followed her. They went on in silence, Kohaku feeling ill at ease but still incongruously calm. He'd made these walks with her before. This K- Ka - he almost had the name -  
  
"Kanna." They'd reached the river. A slender, red-eyed woman fluttering a small fan gave Kanna and Kohaku a leering smile. "It took you long enough."  
  
Kanna was silent.  
  
"Kohaku, let's just give up your charade now, shall we?" The woman said in a bored tone. "Naraku may be inclined to be merciful if you return before making any sort of a definite alliance with that hanyou and his comrades."  
  
"Kagura..." Kanna said in a small, cascading voice. "He truly is in a blissful relapse in memory."  
  
"Oh, indeed? Naraku suffers another opinion." Kagura plucked a feather from her hair. "We shall see. I will report this to Naraku. If he honestly does not remember and his friends are too spineless to tell him, there is no danger in leaving the ningen here."  
  
The feather became outsized, and Kagura settled herself in it. "Let's be on our way, Kanna," said Kagura, shivering in a sudden wind that made Kohaku shake as well. "You'll need to assist me in finding a way to prove to Naraku that disobeying his orders and leaving Kohaku here was appropriate."  
  
"I will come on my own time," Kanna stated in a metallic voice.  
  
Kagura floated upwards. "Suit yourself, little girl."  
  
As Kanna watched Kagura drift into the sky, Kohaku slowly moved backwards. Pebbles rolled under his feet, making crunching sounds as he moved back from the riverbank and finally into the cold grass. These were his natural instincts - run. Find help from his...'friends'.  
  
Kanna looked over her shoulder, rustling her white kimono. "Return." Small, completely white bubbles swam up from the riverbed, coming just above the water. They dripped quietly, and a few dipped under the surface and came back repeatedly.  
  
A resolve buckled inside Kohaku. Why couldn't he resist her words? Some proverbial mechanism forced him to move. He should always obey her.  
  
Kohaku came back to Kanna's side. There was a sudden inclination to bow, but Kohaku resisted. Kanna laid her mirror on the ground beside herself.  
  
Kanna thrust her hands on either side of Kohaku's face, her short fingers outstretched. The short girl gave him a long, blank stare. Kohaku swallowed stiffly, glancing side to side at the fingers that were not touching his skin. Kanna slowly moved her hands halfway between Kohaku's chin and his shoulders before closing the rest of the gap quickly. She clamped her fingers with remarkable strength on Kohaku's shoulders. She put the most pressure in those small, hollow spaces behind Kohaku's collarbone. Two fingers dug in on each side. A sickening sound of agony split the river- scented air.  
  
Somehow, Kohaku was not bleeding. His skin did not feel slit; his bones did not feel broken. There was just that horrible - ~horrible~ pain!  
  
Kanna, slowly and in a way that caused more great pain to Kohaku, withdrew her fingers. They were dripping in something lilac purple that looked as soluble as blood.  
Kohaku collapsed backwards onto the wet, dirty little stones. He clawed at the ground, but was helplessly falling down into the river.  
  
The water was bitterly cold. Kohaku attempted to get a foothold on the muddy bank, but despite his efforts, the still-throbbing pain in his shoulders would not relent enough for him to have focus. Kohaku was completely underwater now; a desperate feeling that death was imminent planting itself inside him - along with something else. The bubbles rushed into his mouth, gagging him, utterly restraining him. Kohaku choked on water and light all the way to the dank riverbed.  
  
_________________________________________________  
  
~~~ Ooh...cliffhanger. I hate cliffhangers. They're so annoying. 


	11. Cracked Souls

At long last - the next chapter.  
  
_________________________________________________________________  
  
Kohaku landed softly on something strange and smushy-feeling. He opened his eyes and looked up to see the river passing by above him. The blue water swirled in small eddies in some places where he could see the bottoms of rocks. Slowly, Kohaku got to his feet. The river flowed on over this long, dank stretch. Kohaku knew legends of the river-bottoms. The souls lived here that had thrown themselves into the river, and could pass on to Heaven or Hell when the river flooded. Dotting the soft moss here and there were small golden, glowing balls. Souls. Kohaku took a step towards one and hear a soft cracking under his foot. He lifted his sandal to see that one of them had been crushed his heel. Gold, shining liquid poured out of it and formed little pools about the fragments.  
  
"Oh, no," Kohaku whispered, bending over to attempt to repair it.  
  
"Oh, my, Kohaku. What -have- you done? Doomed another soul to an eternity of nothingness?" came a soft voice behind him. Kohaku whirled around, nearly breaking another small soul-egg. Kanna stood a few yards away, cradling her mirror. Beside her...was it really? Sota? The boy looked torn between being nervous and angry, but Kanna had spoken the words.  
  
"Sota! You're all right!" cried Kohaku. "Your sister has been so worried!"  
  
Sota glared at him. "Kohaku, I want to return to my body."  
  
"Of course you do. Kanna...how can we leave?" Kohaku looked up at the river, then slowly poked his index finger into the flow, then removed it. Suddenly, water began spurting in through the hole.  
  
"Agh!" Kohaku frantically put his hand over the hole, and stepped back to brace himself. Unfortunately, he stepped into the soul-puddles, and slipped to the ground. His fingers slid across the hole, and for one moment, Kohaku was terrified as he looked up. Water had stopped streaming in, now there were indentations where he'd placed his fingers that did little more than slightly alter the flow of water there.  
  
Kohaku took a few deep breaths to calm himself down while Sota looked on. When the young demon slayer had finally calmed himself, Kanna spoke. "Kohaku, I'm sure you've realized that the shard in your back is the cause of this. You should try to take it out...to free Sota. To allow him fair passage to his body."  
  
"The shard..." Kohaku looked obliviously into space for a moment before recalling Myoga's tale. "Right. Then I will...wait. Myoga...Myoga said I'll die if it comes out!"  
  
"Whose life do you value more?" challenged Kanna. "Kohaku, the demon slayer. He killed his own father. He did his best to slaughter his sister. He turned his own body over to a demon lord, simply so he would not have to face his own memories. Kohaku...is a coward."  
  
Kohaku swallowed hard, looking down at the ground. "I know...I...know." Decision suddenly came to his face. "I'll do it, Sota - I will. I promise."  
  
A brief thought flitted through Kohaku's mind...he wondered why Sota would not speak.  
  
"I am sorry for the suffering of you and your sister," Kohaku said dutifully. He reached back into his belt for his kusarikama. And for the second time in his life, he stabbed himself in the back. The blade was sharp, his hand was swift...It didn't hurt much physically.  
  
Kohaku reached for the shard...thought of his life. It had been...happy...to a certain point. The area around him grew cold. His hand grew warm as he reached to the shard. Then, the young boy paused. What of Sango? Would she miss her wicked little brother, the one who had made numerous attempts on her life? Could she?  
  
Kohaku's eyes shone with unshed tears. His dear, dear sister...he could not simply abandon her without a proper goodbye. He had to see her again...he could never pass on without facing Sango, facing what he had to make up to her. Only a...'coward'...would do so.  
  
Kohaku's hand fell. "Kanna, Sota," he said softly. "I have affairs to put in order first." 


End file.
